ition of our new friends' two servants, we thus together
mustered ten persons. We were all of us well-armed, and not without
necessity: our friends told us that the country had lately been infested
by large bands of Comanche Indians, who had been driven away from the
borders of the United States, and had discovered that they were able to
carry on their depredations among the Mexicans almost with impunity.
"They are not likely to attack a well-armed party, and if they do, we
can give a good account of them." This account only the more excited
our interest, and we quite hoped that the Indians would attack us. When
we first went to the inn, we saw a large party on horseback just setting
out, we understood, in the same direction. They were all armed to the
teeth,--with pistols in their belts, some with swords by their sides,
and others with lances or rifles. They made a gay appearance on their
richly caparisoned steeds, with their broad-brimmed hats and feathers,
bright-coloured sashes, trousers open at the knees, with silver buttons
and loose jackets, with yellow boots and large silver spurs. They were
laughing loudly and talking; and as they flourished their spears and
rifles, they boasted how they would treat any Indians who might dare to
attack them. The doctor said he thought that it was a pity we had not
been ready to accompany them.

"Let them go alone," answered our friend; "I know those boasting
gentlemen too well to trust them. If attacked, they would leave all the
fighting to us. We shall be better off by ourselves." Our friends
provided horses and all necessaries for the journey, and in high spirits
we started, mounted on high Spanish saddles, from which it seemed
impossible that we could ever tumble off. I will not attempt to
describe the scenery in detail. It was hilly, and woody, and rocky,
with valleys and waterfalls; now and then we came to a plain with a wide
extent of open country, and then had to cross rocky ridges, and climb
lofty heights among crags and pine-trees; but nothing came amiss to us
or our horses. The young farmers had pressed us to stop a day at their
father's house, which was only a little out of the way. It was built in
the fashion of the inn I have described, surrounded by the
farm-buildings and pens for cattle. The father was a fine, hearty old
man, dressed in the ancient Spanish costume; and their mother and
sisters were kind, fresh-looking people, very unlike the
parchm